Budget "Stubby" Sonosub

[BoomieMCT]

I just finished my first sub and wanted to show it off a bit. My brother just had a kid so he's had to shelf his desire for a new home theater. Since his birthday is coming up, I figured I'd make him a sub to get started on. After calling him up and telling him my idea we came up with the following constraints:

$150 budget (total, not just driver and amp)
Had to fit behind the tv

The design I settled on is a ported enclosure in an LLT configuration using Dayton's 12" shielded subwoofer (near a TV remember) and the Daton 70 watt amp (yes, only 70 watts). With a volume of 125 liters and tuned to 26 Hertz, this design has an F3 of 25 Hertz (in theory and after testing). This is the smallest sonosub I've ever seen! Best of all, the total costs for everything (including the spray paint) was under $130.

I've been breaking it in in my office. I like it so much (and will miss it when it goes) - I may need to build another sub!

Note: The graph I posted is the theoretical performance (blue) and the near field measurements I took (red). The massive peaks and dips in the red is no doubt from room effects. I'm still trying to figure out how to tame my office / listening room.

[Darren]

Nice sub! Have any pictures of the details closer up? A BFD will help tame the peaks but will cost you about $99. Great first project!

[Sonnie]

Not too shabby for less than 130 bucks.

[BoomieMCT]

Darren wrote:

Nice sub! Have any pictures of the details closer up? A BFD will help tame the peaks but will cost you about $99. Great first project!

I sure do, but mostly of the parts. The assembled thing is basically a featureless black tube. It seems to suck up light and not photograph well.

BTW I do have a BFD in my theater room and I love it. I doubt my brother will pay that much attention to his setup (and this sub is destined for his house).

[BoomieMCT]

Oh yeah, for size reference. The whole thing (with legs) is 4' tall. The body is 16" sonotube.

[Sonnie]

Where did you buy the sonotube and how much do they normally cost?

[BoomieMCT]

Sonnie wrote:

Where did you buy the sonotube and how much do they normally cost?

The only place that sold it near me (Northern Virginia) is Wharton Supply Co. It isn't actually Sonotube (that is a brand name), but is basically the same thing*. The shortest piece they sell is 12 feet long. The 16" tube was about $55. The prices go up with larger diameters from there. I think the largest diameter they have is over 40 inches. Yes, I was tempted to buy that and make an adult sized hamster maze.

BTW, if anyone near NoVa needs six feet of 16" sonotube, give me a PM. I'll cut you a deal.

* note that Quik-tube (what you'd find at Lowes or Home Depot) is 1/8" thick - about a third of Sonotube or similar brand.

[kano32]

How big is the enclosure i.e., how many cu ft or liters?

[BoomieMCT]

kano32 wrote:

How big is the enclosure i.e., how many cu ft or liters?

125 Liters, which amounts to 3'7" tall and 16.5(ish)" diameter.

[BoomieMCT]

Just as an FYI - here is what the Stubby looks like hidden behind my brother's TV. Sadly I didn't have the equipment to do a FR test at his house. It sounded good with some jazz and video games!